VWCS Board hears financial information

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent writer

Future finances and COVID-19 were the two main topics of discussion during Wednesday night’s Van Wert City Schools Board of Education.

The meeting was held in-person, but Treasurer Michelle Mawer and Assistant Superintendent Bill Clifton participated via Zoom.

Mawer shared details of the latest five-year financial forecast, which was later approved by the board. It includes a 13 percent decrease in income tax revenue this year, and she noted that by fiscal year 2024, the district will have a negative cash balance.

“We really have to monitor our expenses and figure out how to reduce the deficit spending,” Mawer told the board. “The next step is to look at the expenditure side and see if we can make improvements and then look at a levy to see if we need to run a levy, what size of a levy and how much, but we cannot have negative cash.”

State funding remains up in the air and Mawer told board members that two bills designed to fix the longstanding problem, House Bill 305 and Senate Bill 376, are moving through the legislature.

“One of the biggest obstacles is the cost,” Mawer explained. “It’s basically a $2 billion ticket so are they going to be able to come up with a way to fund that? I guess time will tell.”

“If it would pass, it would mean $1.1 million in additional revenue for Van Wert,” she added. “The kicker to it all is if it does pass, it’s a six-year implementation process, so we’re not going to see it anytime soon and there’s no talk of how that’s rolling out.”

During his report to the board, Superintendent Mark Bagley noted that COVID-19 is active in the community.

“Our cases are high, we know that throughout our county, it’s come into the school, but here’s the thing – our contact tracing at school has not led to any positive cases at school,” Bagley said. “That means we’re doing a really good job of staying masked and staying as far apart as we can, knowing that sometimes it doesn’t work out.”

“We still plan on going face-to-face as long as we have the staff to do that,” he added. “We’ll do that as long can or until someone tells us we can’t do that, but that’s our plan right now, to keep on coming to school.”

Bagley also lauded the football team for making it to Sunday’s state title game and he praised community support shown to the squad.

“If you drive around our town right now and see the pride of Van Wert Cougars…as a graduate, you get emotional,” Bagley said. “I’m so proud of our community to fight through all the things that said we couldn’t do it and we’ve done it. We have the opportunity Sunday at 12:15 to play for a state championship.”

Win or lose, a parade for the team will be held along East Main Street to Shannon Street at 5:30 on Sunday. Those attending should space out and wear masks.

The board accepted the resignations high school health and physical education teacher Jeff Hood, kindergarten teacher Diane Hood and third grade teacher Kim Fleming. All three are longtime teachers and all three are retiring at the end of the current school year.

Curtis Schaffner was approved as Assistant to the Director of Maintenance, effective November 30.

Seventh grade language arts teacher Anita Zuber gave a brief presentation on project based learning, teens throughout the decade.

Board members accepted a number of donations, including various donations totaling $550 to special education in memory of Chris Raines; $1,000 from Federal Mogul Powertrain, high school robotics; $176.32 from Schrader Realty, high school robotics and another $100 to the elementary school principal’s fund; $134.08 from Pel Industries, high school principal’s fund; $32.28 from Ohiopyle Prints, high school principal’s fund; $20 from Bret and Trinda Keber, middle school student activity fund; $20 from Kelli Thompson, middle school student activity fund, and $500 from Harold Rosendahl, Van Wert High School Masque and Gavel.

The board also accepted donations of $200 from Laudick’s Jewelry, $200 from Bret Leon and an anonymous donation of $400, all for the boys’ basketball program.

Board members agreed to hold the annual organizational meeting and tax budget hearing at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 13.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday, December 16.